fEaR
by Yours truly - Pride
Summary: A series of oneshots about the different deep dark fears that each member of the Straw Hats crew may have, in reverse order of them joining the crew. No pairings included. Content rating is K just to be safe. Do read and review.
1. fEaR of Loneliness (Brook)

**Pride: This story is a tribute to Cardboard Pixie, an amazing friend, confidante and sister-figure who passed away on October the 9th. She dedicated her last moments to writing fanfiction, which she truly loved. I hope her hardwork and dedication is recognized, because she truly deserves it. Thanks for the great memories and times we had, and no matter what, we won't forget you.**

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><p><strong>This fic is spelt as fEaR, it is intentional. Fear is an emotion that clouds our minds, distorts, and disorganizes us as a whole. Therefore, I felt that this way of spelling it would be significant of that fact. This fic will consist of a series of oneshots about the different deep dark fears that each member of the crew has, in reverse order of them joining the crew. I would've liked to write one for Jinbe too, but unfortunately I cannot assume to know him and his character truly, to write an accurate description of his underlying fears.<strong>

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><p><strong>DISCLAIMER: I do not own One Piece or any of its characters.<strong>

Narrator's Perspective

'Thoughts'

"Speech_" _

"**Attacks/Raised Voices"**

_Settings- Place and Time_

_Dreams_

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><p><strong>fEaR<strong>

An One Piece original fanfiction

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><p><strong>fEaR of Loneliness (Brook)<strong>

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><p>The sun shone bright, bestowing upon the earth its glorious golden rays. However, to Brook it seemed that the sun was mocking him with its exuberance. Mocking him for his loss, and for the gloom currently settled over him.<p>

It only served to infuriate him, but alas, there was nothing, no one he could take his frustration out upon? He could wreck the ship, but it would only force him to float on driftwood across the endless ocean, forever. It made it worse that he could not die. He would have to endure years of pain, perhaps even decades or centuries of pain.

Brook felt like crying his eyes out till they ran dry, but no tears came.

"But I have no eyes to cry with. Skull joke. Yohoho," he told himself wryly, not seeing the humor in it himself.

It hurt. It hurt to know that he had lost his past, his friends, his crew, his captain, anything and everything that he had had ties to. Everything was gone. Except for his cursed bones. And as though to add insult to injury, he had to be stuck in some part of the Grand Line, no island in sight. He wasn't even given a chance to start a new life, to learn to live, and love life again.

What was the point of a life he couldn't even enjoy?

Brook coughed out a dry laugh, void of emotion.

Most people would wish to live forever, to cheat Death and to be immortal. Brook was unwillingly given that which many men would give anything to have, but he found himself begging Death to come to him, to let him fade into the darkness and rest in peace.

"Look on the bright side. With this, I have as many years as I need to achieve all I want to, become rich, settle down and have a nice peaceful life."

Yeah, sure. All of that in the middle of the sea? It was useless, and complete torture to be in his situation, and Brook knew it.

He always tried to be optimistic, but found it becoming increasingly harder as the years passed by painfully.

Trying to cheer himself up in vain once again, he opened his violin case and took his instrument out.

"What song would you like me to play today, Captain-san?"

He paused, as though expecting a response. He received none, as had been the case for the past number of years of which he had lost count. He sighed, finding that day to be no different than every day before it.

"Oh, you want me to play 'Bone to be Wild'? So be it!" setting the bow to his violin, he began playing a merry tune, and broke into song.

As the song progressed, he tapped his feet quickly on the wooden floor of the ship. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine the crew of the Rumbar Pirates dancing gaily to his tune, the sound of their feet hitting the floor echoing throughout the ship. But it just didn't feel right. It didn't feel the same.

As the music grew faster, his feet tapped slower and slower, until he finally broke into dry wracking sobs, towards the end of the song.

He wanted so badly to dash his violin against the hard floor, to take out his frustration on it.

But it had been his only consolation, his only companion, his only memento of the crew and his friends. Besides, if he broke his violin, he wouldn't be able to buy a new one, seeing as there wasn't a single shop in sight.

As he calmed down somewhat and his sobs subsided, he heard them.

The voices in his head.

'_What if this isn't real?' _

'_What if you're actually dead?' _

'_What if this is all a figment of your imagination?' _

'_What if you aren't dead and live on like this forever?' _

'_What if you've actually been like this all along?' _

'_What if your crew never really existed in the first place?' _

'_What if you imagined them all along?' _

'_What if you imagined your life up until now all along?' _

'_What if this world isn't real?' _

'_What if you continue imagining this forever?' _

The voices grew louder, louder, louder, drowning out the sound of the wind and the rhythmic splash of the water in his ears.

They distracted him so much, he didn't feel the heat of the sun bleaching his bones.

He shut his eyes closed, trying to block the voices out.

For a painful moment, he saw nothing.

He smelt nothing, tasted nothing, heard nothing, felt nothing.

He sensed nothing.

For a moment, he forgot what the world was like.

For a moment, he had a fearful thought. He thought that maybe, just maybe, he had truly imagined the entire world all along. Maybe everything he had thought real and tangible until now wasn't actually real. He thought that maybe the voices were right.

And that thought scared him more than anything else, more than having to live forever.

"No…It can' t be!"

And before his eyes, flashed the images of countless people, places, objects, anything and everything he had ever seen.

"IT CAN'T BE!"

And he relinquished control of his thoughts, giving in to the voices.

A fish skipped across the surface of the water, and Brook froze.

No. He didn't expect such a sight. He can't have imagined something like that. It must've been real!

Besides, the fish reminded him of something, although he couldn't place his finger on it…

"LABOON! CROCUS AND LABOON!"

"They're still alive! I must find them! I must find Laboon! If I find Laboon, then I'll know that everything's been real, that not everyone I care for is dead!"

"But if I don't find them…"

"No! I can't let myself think about that! I'll never find out if I lose control of my thoughts!"

He sat down, and tried to collect his thoughts, with renewed hope. He knew not how to find them, but he dared to hope that a miracle might occur. He had suffered enough.

Brook couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel, but he knew that there was one.

And that was more than enough for him.

That was more than he could ever have hoped for.

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><p><em>End<em>

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><p><strong>Pride: Shlone dear readers! That was kinda depressing, if I say so myself. But oh well, this fic is meant to be depressing. Hope y'all enjoyed it! <strong>

**May good fortune rule over you  
><strong>**Peace live in your heart, and  
><strong>**May the stars watch over you**

**- Yours truly, Pride**


	2. fEaR of Change (Franky)

**Pride: This story is a tribute to Cardboard Pixie, an amazing friend, confidante and sister-figure who passed away on October the 9th. She dedicated her last moments to writing fanfiction, which she truly loved. I hope her hardwork and dedication is recognized, because she truly deserves it. Thanks for the great memories and times we had, and no matter what, we won't forget you.**

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><p><strong>Updated: 1301/2015**

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><p><strong>DISCLAIMER: I do not own One Piece or any of its characters.<strong>

Narrator's Perspective

'Thoughts'

"Speech_" _

"**Attacks/Raised Voices"**

_Settings- Place and Time_

_Dreams_

* * *

><p><strong>fEaR<strong>

An One Piece original fanfiction

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><p><strong>fEaR of Change (Franky)<strong>

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><p>He sat heavily on a chair that was on the deck of the Thousand Sunny, releasing a long sigh as he did so.<p>

Franky, feeling a little depressed and mentally exhausted for no apparent reason, stared at the waves breaking against the ship, hoping that they would somehow calm his beating heart. That's what they say, at least.

He placed a hand on his cold metal chest, feeling around for a heartbeat.

But no, not a sign was there to show that his heart was still beating inside his steel chest.

'_Of course, there's nothing but cola in there,' _he thought wryly, trying to smile.

He sighed once again and resumed watching the waves.

They rippled and rolled, their course not changing except when they came into contact with the ship. The waves broke with a splash, and stopped rippling. The next wave advanced in a similar manner, and splashed just as well.

The waves reminded him of how unstable the world was, constantly changing, never staying in a single state for too long.

'_Change…that's what caused all of this, isn't it?' _

Change.

He didn't like it, not a single bit.

In the beginning, when he thought he could have a happy life with his parents, they abandoned him, even going so far as to try and kill him.

Then came Tom, and that was a nice change. Tom had given him everything his unloving parents had neglected to.

But the next series of changes devastated him, broke him and rendered him nearly at a loss for hope in life.

Especially the changes that were forced into motion by others. He hated them the most.

Spandam, that despicable coward. Who would've thought that such a coward could frame Tom for something that wasn't his fault?

And as though it was not enough to break his mind, next came a change that completely broke him, physically.

Franky glanced at his metal arm, and flinched as though he'd been slapped. It reminded him of the times Tom had held his arm and guided him while he hammered the nails in place to build a mini-ship. Whenever he thought of it, he felt at a loss for words and thoughts.

Change had also snatched him away from his comfort spot whenever he got accustomed to the idea of having one, and threw him into an unfamiliar abyss.

When he thought he'd found a family with Tom and Iceburg, he was ripped away from them, then he found himself the "Franky Family", and he wasn't fated to even stay with them.

Now all he wondered was how long he would last with the Straw Hats. He had finally found a home aboard the Thousand Sunny and a caring family with the crew, but he couldn't even enjoy it, for fear that it wouldn't last long.

His thoughts were broken by the sound of footsteps and two voices getting nearer and nearer.

"How did I do, Zoro? Was I better this time?" came the childlike voice of Chopper.

"You've improved, Chopper! But next time, try being more flexible. When using the blade, you need to be as flexible as the reeds. If you're as stiff as a tree, you will eventually be broken by the wind," came the gruff, but affectionate reply.

"Okay, Zoro-sensei!" Chopper giggled and Zoro let out a low chuckle at that.

"Franky, have the showers been fixed?"

Franky merely nodded, not trusting his voice at the moment.

Zoro gave him a grateful nod and stalked off to have a shower, Chopper scampering after him.

Their words had sparked something within Franky, something he hadn't considered before.

He glanced back at the waves, and realized…change wasn't necessarily bad, so why avoid it?

_Embrace the change. _

It would take some getting used to, but maybe someday…someday he would learn to go with the flow of life, like his captain did.

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><p><em>End<em>

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><p><strong>Pride: Shlone dear readers! This isn't as depressing as the previous one, and is super short too. Not my best. But oh well, I lacked inspiration for this one. Hopefully the next one will be better. <strong>

**May good fortune rule over you  
><strong>**Peace live in your heart, and  
><strong>**May the stars watch over you**

**- Yours truly, Pride**


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